“Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Wants You to Know She’s Like Latina Grandmothers Everywhere.” That’s the headline of a post highlighting seven ways in which the grandmother of one — and Democratic presidential candidate — is like an abuela, or Latina grandmother.
The list includes everything from how she advocates for vaccines to how she reads to children. It even includes a take-down of Donald Trump, en Español (er, kinda.)
But some have taken issue with the campaign’s representation of a privileged and powerful white woman as the sort of every(wo)man abuela.
My Abuela came to this country with a 6th grade education and worked in factories for 50 something cents to a Man's dollar #NotMyAbuela
— Eliel Cruz-Lopez (@elielcruz) December 22, 2015
https://twitter.com/MarySueRenfrow/status/679358822402555905
One of my abuelas, from Utuado, worked washing the dishes and picking coffee since she was 11 years old. Hillary is #NotMyAbuela
— LaÍnsulaAlucinada (@MarcosPerezRam) December 22, 2015
Others accused her campaign of appropriating the warm and fuzzy image of an abuela in order to “hispander” to Latino voters.
Hillary’s campaign be like: pic.twitter.com/JXv1Ol6rEA
— Mathew Rodriguez (@mathewrodriguez) December 22, 2015
THIS LIST THO. It's like the algorithm is:
Spanglish + talk about "respeto" + Hillary gif + Marc Anthony = Latino Vote
— Gabe Gonzalez (@gaybonez) December 22, 2015
Although these commentators found the title of “abuela” to be ill-fitting for the former First Lady, Clinton has advocated for comprehensive immigration reform and pathways to citizenship for DREAMers. She was the favorite among Hispanic voters according to a Univision poll conducted in July. In the 2008 Democratic primary, she handily beat President Obama 2–1 among Hispanic voters.
“We can’t wait any longer for a path to full and equal citizenship,” she told a group of DREAMers in May.
For Juan Salazar, Obama’s executive order allowing some DREAMers, or children who were brought to America without proper documentation, to get green cards has changed life for his entire family.
“Once I passed, all my family members started calling me, my aunts, my grandma, crying,” he said at a Clinton event. “It’s like, now is your chance and, you know, take on the world.”
Unlike Republican candidates, including Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio, who have vowed to reverse Obama’s executive order on DREAMers, Clinton has promised to take the immigration policy even further if she’s elected.
“I will fight to stop partisan attacks on the executive actions that would put DREAMers — including many with us today — at risk of deportation,” she said. “And, if Congress refuses to act, as president I will do everything possible under the law to go even further.”